The young Han Solo movie is shaping up to be the blackest Star Wars film yet.
Considering that the rest of the entries in the franchise have had one main black character each, that’s not much of a feat. But, still, progress is progress.
Disney announced today that joining Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian and Thandie Newton as an unnamed character will be Michael K. Williams, also playing an unnamed character.
Best known for playing Omar on The Wire and Chalky White on Boardwalk Empire, Williams recently questioned whether or not he had been typecast as an actor, noting that people — as we just did — always associate him with his criminal roles.
Disney said in their statement that they cast Williams in part because of the “charisma, humanity, and nobility” that he brings “to all his performances.”
With Han Solo being a notorious smuggler and Lando Calrissian one of the galaxy’s best gamblers, the chances of Williams being cast as someone not involved in underworld activity aren’t particularly high. But here’s hoping he’s able to break out of the type of role he’s become associated with and play someone other than a galactic gangster.
And also someone whose acting talents aren’t wasted behind a wall of bland CG. (Why did you do that to Lupita in Episode VII, J.J.? I mean, that could have been anybody playing Maz, anybody … )
With the still untitled young Han Solo movie coming out next May, I suppose we’ll find out what Williams’ place in that galaxy far, far away is very, very soon.